Crutch.



N. F. BLACKARU.

CRUTCM..

APPLICATION FILED 056.5. I916.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY 'Ifil .l H

ttl-mriy' concern Befitkfihv'vrithat'I', Nancy F. BILACKARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Kjansas'Gity, in the county of Jackson and I Stateof'Mi'ssiou'ri haveinvented certain new *asdflusefur Improvements in Crutches, of

V g is a specification; Thisiinventioni e ates to improvements in triitclie's more particularly to a folding tigfchgh ating aresilient arm-rest for pro- :n' comfort-to the person using the A f by 'eliirii'fihting a jar when the weight of the'bo l is'thsowh upon the arm rest.

a further object of the invention the crutch is divided into two sections hingedly connected together for permitting the crutch tobo folded. l

As another object of the invention the crutch is provided with locking elements carried by each of the truss arms of the crutch for "locking the crutch in operative position afterthe same has been unfolded. 1 "A" further objectof this invention is the provision of a crutch which consists of comparatively few parts and is simple in construction; but durable and well adapted to i withstandthe rough usage to which devices of this character are ordinarily subjected. For afullfidesc i tion of the invention and the advantages an merits thereof reference is toj be-hadto the following descri tion and the" accompanying drawings, w erein is the preferred form of my inven- 'tion inwhich; 95 Y F gural is 'aside elevation of a crutch showings-my invention applied thereto. 215 a iragmentary section on the line f-Fi is a detail transverse section on the wins I ofFig; 1. i

a Fignds adetail longitudinal section.

thrtiugh tlie arnr-re'st.-" a Figrfi i asection on the line of -F ."4. a Y I 43*? to the drawing, wherein is illuscame the preferred formof my invention,

and in whch like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the 8mm; views, the crutch is of the usual shape and construction including the truss iarmsl'and 2 which are joined together at F tlieizrldwer ends to meet the leg 3 upon the end ofw'hich ismounted the tip or ferrule 4. The a pet-ends of the truss arms 1 and 2 are a 'thei rect formed in sleeves m i I Specihoat ioxitf Letters Patent. I Application filed December 5, 1910. Serial no. 188,8!11

the arm-rest the a' artin' the usual manner and are UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Patented Oct. snow.

6 which are carried by the arm-rest, designated in its entirety by thenumeral 7.

' An outer covering 8 of leather or other suitable material is provided for the armrest thus providing a casing within which the resilient shock absorbing means is arranged. As shown by Fig. 4 of the draw: in the casing or leather coverin 8 is provi ed with openings through Whlfil the cu is or sleeves '6 are extended, while withint e casing thecups are integrally connected to a.

retainin plate 9 which has its ends curved to provide loops 11 which form endsu'pports for the coverin 8. Between the loops 11, the top surface 0 the covering or casing 8 is formed to sag downwardly to receive the arm of the person using the. crutch and the loops will permit a certain amount of springing action to be imparted to the central portion of the casing when the Weight of the erson is restin upon the casing. .This action is due, as wi 1 be readily appan out by referring to Fi 4, to the curve of the loops 11 which'permi them to retain a certain amount of resilienc For roviding an additional-resiliency for the device whereby shock and 'ar willbe entirely eliminated, I have provided a curved plate 12 within the casing, and formed with its ends curved sharply upwardly and'iri" engagement with the curved surface of each of the 100 s 11. Interposed between the ric taining p ate 9 and the plate 12 is a plurality of coil s rings 13. I When the sleeves 6 are rigidly astened to the ends of the arms 1 and 2, by the set screws 14, the armrest will beriiidly supported for receiving the arm of t When the weight of'the person is applied to action "of the springs 13 and the caps 1 will absorb all of the jar and shock, at commonly occurs when the wgfht of a person is'intermittently a 1i :to and removed from the crutch. or permitting, the proper ventil'a tion of the leather cover orzcasmgfl have provided a plurality of apertures] 15 through which air may pass for passing" into the interior of the casing. a a

The truss arms '1 and 2 are joined to ther by a cross piece do which isflongitu nally split thereby dividing the arm into an upper half 17- and alower 18. The

u or end-of each iewere onofeach tr il sarm is in "'y -co".f to. the lower half 18 of 0 person using the crutch.

, cross piece joins struction provides two folding sections for the crutch that are adapted to be folded together whereby the crutch may be confined in a of space when not in use.

The upper end of each lower portion of each truss arm is provided with a sleeve 19 shown in detail in Fig. 3. This sleeve completely surrounds the truss arm and is ex tended through a curved slot 20 formed at the point where the lower half 18 of the the truss arms. Two struck out ortions 21 are provided on each sleeve 19 or providing retainin cars 22. The lower end of the upper section of each truss arm is received in a cup 23 which has its bottom end closed by the plate 24. This cup is extended through a slot 25 similar to the slot 20 in the lower section of the crutch. The cup 23 and the sleeve 19 are provided with co-acting ears for receiving a pintle 26 thereby PXOVldlIlg a hinge upon which the sections are swung when moved into folded position. Opposite to the hin e, the cup is provided with two ears 27 w ich carry a pivot in for receiving a latch 28, one end of which is adapted to be embraced by the ears 22 when the sections are .in operative position. The opposite end of the latch has a knob 29 which may be pressed for releasing the latch from engagement with the ears v The plate 24 carries a centrally located to e 30 which extends into a recess 31 formed in the end of each lower portion. of each truss arm 1 and 2 when the crutch is in operative position.

To fold the crutch it is merely necessary to release the latches 28 from engagement with the ears 22. The upper and lower sections of the crutch may then be folded on the hinges for permitting the upper section I without departing of the crutch to overlie the lower section thereof. When in use, the latches 28, together with the tongues 30 will retain the sections in rigid position whereby the person using the crutch may use the same in the usual manner.

From the foregoing it will be observed that a very sim 1e and durable crutch has been provided, t e details of which embody the preferred form. I desire it to be understood however, that slight changes in the minor details of construction may be made from thespirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended. I

I claim: V

1. A crutch com rising "a pair of truss arms, a retaining p ate, a supporting plate, spring elements interposed between the supportin plate and -the said retaining plate, the en s of the said supporting plate and of the said retaining plate being in engagement with each other.

2. A crutch comprising a pair of truss plate and the said resilient loops,

. ing sleeves embracing the'ends o vide the cross arms, a retaining plate, a supporting plate, spring elements interposed between the supporting plate and the said retaining plate, the ends of the said supporting plate and of the said retaining plate being 1n engagement with each other,the ends of the said retaining plate being bent to provide loops extending over the proximate ends of the said supporting plate, and a flexible casing envelopirig the supporting plate and the retaining p ate.

3. A crutch comprising a arms, a retaini plate carrie by the truss arms and provi ed at its ends with curved resilient loops, and a flexible casin embracing the plate and covering the sai loops.

4. A crutch comprising a pair of truss arms, a retainin plate mounted upon the truss arms and aving its ends curved to provide resilient loops, a supporting plate, and resilient means interposed between the supporting plate and the said retaining plate.

5. A crutch comprising a pair of truss arms, a retainin plate, resilient loops formed at the en s of the said retaining plate, a flexible casing, and resilient means disposed within the said casin for absorbing the shock applied to the said casing, the said fiexiblecasing enveloping the retaining the central portion of the casing engaging the said means.

6. A crutch compri arms, a retaining plate, t e said late havthe said truss arms, resilient 100 s formed at the ends of the said retaining p ate, a flexible casing, a supporting plate within the casing, and spring elements interposed between the supporting plate and the said retaining plate.

7. A crutch comprising a pair of truss arms, a retaining plate, the said plate having sleeves embracing the ends ofthe said truss arms, resilient loops formed at the ends of the said retaining plate, a flexible casing, a

' supporting plate within the casing, spring 8. A crutch comprising a pair of truss arms, a cross piece connectm the arms, the

cross piece belng longitudina ly split to dipiedelnto upper and lower sections, thesp it extending through each truss arm to divide the same into up er and lower portions, and means connected to the meeting ends of the upper and lower portions in each truss arm for permitting the same to be folded upon each other.

9. A crutch 'comprisingapair of truss arms, a cross piece connecting e truss arms,

an armrest carried by the truss arms, the

said truss arms and the cross piece being (pair of truss a pair of truss V (iivkied to provide upper and lower sections, ting folding thereof, and latches for retain- 10 and means for permitting the sections to be ing the sections in operative position. folded together. i In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 10. A crutch comprising a 11;;air of truss in presence of two witnesses.

5 arms, a cross piece vconnecting t e truss arms,

an arm-rest carried by the truss arms, the NANCY BLACKARD' said truss arms and the cross piece being Witnesses: divided to provide ugper and lower sections, BENJAMIN T. LEWIS, hinges connecting t e sections for permit- MABEL C. MABEL. 

